Christine M. Crowe
| Office | Washington DC |
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Christine provides counsel on a diverse array of transactional, policy and regulatory matters. In her dynamic transactions practice, she provides strategic advice to communications companies on mergers and acquisitions, spectrum leasing, public and private financing transactions, and other commercial transactions. Christine chairs the firm’s Tower Siting and Infrastructure practice, and regularly advocates on behalf of service providers, infrastructure companies and industry organizations to promote policies that foster infrastructure deployment. Those efforts have resulted in significant streamlining of the Federal and State review processes related to infrastructure deployment. She also counsels clients on infrastructure regulations and compliance with the FCC’s environmental/historic preservation rules, including development and implementation of compliance plans and navigation of adversarial proceedings related to infrastructure siting.
Clients also rely on Christine’s extensive experience with FCC spectrum auctions. She has been actively involved in wireless auctions for nearly 30 years, advising clients on the intricacies of the FCC’s highly complex auction rules. She has counseled clients both large and small on the FCC’s prohibited communications rule, qualifying to bid in spectrum auctions with Designated Entity benefits, an investing in entities that qualify for such benefits.
Christine also is WBK’s Administrative Partner, overseeing the firm’s operations and financial performance, and a member of the firm’s strategic Management Committee. In her free time, Christine enjoys travel and spending time with family and friends.
Representative Engagements
- Represented communications company in transaction to secure accelerated access to spectrum.
- Advised lenders in connection with exit financing for communications provider.
- Advocated on behalf of several clients in FCC and state agencies for policy and rule changes to streamline and reduce the costs associated with the infrastructure deployment process.
- Represented clients in several adversarial proceedings before the FCC arising from challenges to infrastructure deployment, in each case securing FCC clearance for deployment to proceed.
- Designed compliance programs for multiple FCC auction participants regarding the FCC’s anti-collusion rule, rules related to designated entities, licensing rules governing multiple wireless services, and rules regarding infrastructure deployment.
- Represented several small businesses in successfully qualifying for designated entity benefits, or investors in entities qualifying for DE benefits, in multiple FCC spectrum auctions.
- Represented Dobson in connection with its acquisition by AT&T.
- Advised Intel in connection with its $1 Billion investment in Clearwire.
- Acted as outside general counsel for entrepreneur through start-up, construction and operational phases.
- Advised winner of spectrum in FCC Auction 35 in connection with negotiation of settlement agreement between Federal government, certain Auction 35 winners and NextWave.
- Served as special FCC Counsel to wireless company in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding; negotiated settlement agreement with FCC and Department of Justice relating to outstanding debt on FCC licenses; advised in connection with several 363 sales under auspices of bankruptcy court, including negotiation of stalking horse and other sale agreements.
- Successfully defended challenge to nationwide exclusivity of large paging carrier on certain private carrier paging channels.
- Represented underwriters on FCC regulatory matters in connection with several multi-billion-dollar public offerings
Honors
- Recognized in Best Lawyers for Communications Law (2019-2024)
- Named Super Lawyer® in Communications Law (2020 – 2023)
- Martindale Hubbell AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating
- Recognized by Legal 500
- Recognized by Chambers USA
- Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia
- Federal Communications Bar Association
- Current: Charity Auction Committee
- Past:
- Executive Committee
- Trustee, FCBA Foundation
- Co-Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee
- Co-Chair, Transactional Practice Committee
- Co-Chair, Access to Records Committee
Publications
Christine M. Crowe and Mark D. Schneider, “Major Wireless Policy Developments – September 2009-September 2010.” This article appeared in the 28th Annual Institute on Telecommunications Policy & Regulation, published by the Practising Law Institute.
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